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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · content · chip · leaves · cap · safe · foot · deal

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. foot — a measure
  3. cap — a hat
  4. content — the amount
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bank — of a river
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bank — for money
  12. content — happy
  13. bank — for money
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chip — to eat
  18. deal — to handle
  19. chip — for betting
  20. cap — of ice
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com